


A Glimpse of Fading Light

by Ethereal_Wishes



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Ogre Wars (Once Upon a Time), Spinner Rumplestiltskin | Mr. Gold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-12
Updated: 2019-06-20
Packaged: 2019-10-08 14:42:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17388278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ethereal_Wishes/pseuds/Ethereal_Wishes
Summary: Rumplestiltskin finds himself stewing in self-loathing and loneliness after Milah leaves him and Bae behind.  He wanders into the seedy tavern she frequented and meets a beautiful blue-eyed barmaid, who has watched their exchanges for months.  She coerces him to spend the night with her and ebb away the loneliness plaguing both of them.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [imgilmoregirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/imgilmoregirl/gifts).



A Glimpse of Fading Light

A/AN: Something I wrote awhile back and took down to edit. It's back!

Belle glanced sympathetically at the spinner absentmindedly swirling his index finger around the rim of his mug of mead. She'd been watching him for months now. He'd never visited the tavern for a drink until this night. He usually came in at the end of her shift to coax his estranged wife away from the poker table to accompany him home. The ebony haired woman frequented the tavern every night, but recently she'd taken up with a pirate and his crew passing through their village. Belle noticed how the two carried on and even watched them steal a kiss within the shadows. She loathed the woman from the first moment her husband pleaded with her to come home. She hadn't seen the vicious harpy since two nights ago when the spinner had showed up to take her home. The pirate had mocked him until their son had appeared asking for his mother. The woman had averted her gaze shamefully and followed the pair out of the establishment with her head hung low.

Belle had no idea the couple had a child until that night, which made the scenario ten times worse than it already was. She'd heard the fellow's name was Rumpelstiltskin, and he'd purposefully injured himself six years ago so he didn't have to fight in the ogre wars. The village had branded him as a coward and his wife wanted nothing more to do with him after his return home. Belle had heard of the horrors of the battlefront. Her own husband, Gaston, had been away from her for the last four years, and she wasn't sure if she'd ever see him again. She knew she shouldn't meddle in the affairs of others, but she couldn't help but empathize with the lonely peasant. She too was lonely and longed for companionship. She sauntered over to his table, her shift recently ending.

"Hello there," she greeted him softly. He nearly knocked his mug of ale over as his fretful gaze met hers.

"What are you doing here?" he inquired, his voice wavering with every syllable as she sat down beside him.

"I noticed you were sitting alone, and my shift just ended. May I join you for a pint?" she queried, smoothing out her wrinkled apron.

"Why would you want to? Don't you know who I am?" he interrogated, wrinkling his nose in disgust as he said the words. She knew he was speaking to himself and not of her.

"From what I can tell, you're a customer," she shrugged as she signaled for a working barmaid to bring her a pint of ale.

"I'm the village coward. If you're seen with me, then I'll surely mar your reputation," he forewarned her as he took a swig of his brew.

"Ahh, yes, I've heard about your run in with the ogres and how you injured yourself so you didn't have to fight. I figure your reasons for doing so are your own. Who am I to judge? There are so many men who fight for the duke's needless causes and never get to return home to their families. I'd call myself a blessed woman if my husband returned home, even if he were disgraced and stripped of all of his titles. To me he'd still be the man I loved, and I don't believe anyone else's opinion holds any weight over my own. What good is a man if he's a decorated hero but must lose his life for it? There are far more worthy causes in life than fighting in a war. I find family to be the most important," she imparted, startling him with her response. He expected her to judge him harshly just as everyone else had. He found himself drawn to her as a moth was to a flame.

"So your husband is off at war, then?" he inquired, diverting the conversation away from himself. He longed to keep their chat going as long as possible. It'd been so long since anyone had desired to converse with him, especially someone as beautiful as this barmaid. She was stunning with her azure irises and chestnut tresses, styled in a messy bun. Her blue muslin, peasant dress dipped low between the valley of her breasts, and he had a hard time concentrating on much else.

"My husband's name is Gaston. He's the town blacksmith, or used to be, before he got called off to war. We were only married a couple of weeks before he received his draft papers. I have a feeling that I'll never see him again. Men rarely come home from the war, and those that do, are so mangled, they wish death had shown them mercy. He could already be deceased, and I wouldn't hear about it for months," she sighed, throwing back a gulp of ale. She rubbed the frothy liquid from her lips on her sleeve. An overwhelming feeling to kiss her eclipsed his senses, until she asked him another question.

"Where's your wife? I've seen you venture in here a few times to retrieve her," she probed daringly. She felt his mood darken and ire fill his sable eyes as he averted his gaze away from her.

"The pirate and his crew took her. There's nothing I could do to save her. What good am I if I couldn't protect my wife from those scoundrels? What am I going to tell my boy?" he lamented, pulling at the ends of his silvery mane. Belle regretted her inquiry the moment distress marred his weathered features.

"I'm so sorry," she remarked, swallowing back the lump in her throat as she uncharacteristically clasped her hand over his. His breath hitched in his throat as he met her gaze.

"Is your boy safe?" she queried.

"Yes, he's with the neighbor," he supplied, his tongue turning to lead in his mouth from her close proximity.

"What would you say to getting out of here and going somewhere more private?" she posed, and he felt all of the rationality leave his brain from her offer. He knew what she was implying by the lustful glimmer in her irises. She was just as lonely as he was, and she was offering him worldly comforts in return to sate her isolation.

"Aye," he replied as she took his hand and led him away from the table. The other occupants in the tavern didn't pay any mind to the couple who slipped up the stairs, away from the boisterous crowd.

"Where are we going?" he asked as they traipsed up the creaky staircase, his walking stick clattering against each step noisily.

"To my chambers, of course. My mistress allows me to stay in one of the inn rooms, which adjoins the tavern, in exchange for a few of my wages. It's a lot cheaper than trying to pay land taxes since Gaston is away," she returned, halting in front of a door with a faded number four on it. She pulled out an iron key on a single ring and plunged it in the lock. The door creaked open, and he felt his senses heighten from the sound. He exhaled sharply as he followed her inside. She shut the door behind them and latched it. The room was dark except for the pale moonlight which filtered through the dirty windowpanes. She pulled a match from her pocket and lit an oil lamp, sitting on a solitary table in the room.

"I don't even know your name," he returned in a trembling voice. She noted his quaking hands as she turned to him. She interlaced her fingers through his before leaning in to brush a gentle kiss against his lips.

"My name is Belle," she whispered against the shell of his ear as she slid her arms around his neck.

"Mine is Rumpelstiltskin," he muttered as he placed a searing kiss against her lips, his body hungry with need. She carded her fingers through his hair, eliciting a feral growl from his throat as she began to massage his scalp with her fingernails. She pushed him backwards, causing him to fall onto the straw mattress. She giggled when they unceremoniously bumped chins.

"Sorry about that..." he mumbled, attempting to thwart her advances, but she only bid him closer.

"There will be none of that, Rumpelstiltskin," she smirked, pulling him down on top of her.

"Why would you want someone like me? I'm-" he protested, but she severed his comment with another kiss as she eased his tunic over his head.

"Stop berating yourself and make love to me," she commanded, and he felt his groin twitch at her declaration. It had been so long since he'd laid with another woman. His wife could barely stand the sight of him, and she refused to allow him to share her bed. They hadn't copulated since Baelfire was still suckling at her breast. Milah always worked herself into an orgasm, opting to let him touch her as little as possible. Making love to her was like coupling with a statue. She was always eager to do the deed and get it over with, unlike this beautiful barmaid who was eager to divest him of his clothing. He was clueless as to what she saw in him, but he would do his best to make it worth her while. He may never get another night like this with a woman again, so he might as well take advantage of this bout of good fortune.

"As you wish, milady," he remarked, attacking her lips again. She moaned appreciatively, raking her nails down his bare back. He groaned in response, pulling away momentarily.

"What are you doing?" she inquired as he pulled at the ties in her bodice.

"Freeing you of these bloody garments," he hissed. She pushed his hands away, unloosening the ties herself, pulling the dress over her head and casting it to the floor. Remaining only in her thin shift and knickers sent a wave of euphoria spiraling through him.

"You're so beautiful," he remarked, reaching out to touch her tousled curls. She felt her face flush from the intensity of his gaze.

"Thank you," she respired, holding her arms open to envelop him. He tumbled into her sweet embrace, nibbling on her earlobe momentarily,moving to the base of her neck. She gasped in response as he feathered her collarbone with kisses, causing heat to pool in her belly. He allowed his hands to roam over her supple curves. She sighed pleasantly as he carefully kneaded her breasts with his skilled spinner's hands.

"I want to feel you against my skin," she whispered within the darkness, hooking her right leg around his ankle and pulling him closer. He shuddered in response as he carefully pulled down his breeches and kicked them away. He did the same with her shift and knickers, leaving them utterly bare to one another.

The feeling of being pressed skin to skin with her was euphoric. He laid her back gently against the pillows as his weathered hands roamed freely over her body. Belle gasped with pleasure at being touched so intimately by man who treated her so tenderly. His hands ghosted up and down her sides before dusting his index finger down her flat stomach and towards her inner thigh.

"Rumple, I-" she moaned breathlessly as his index finger teased her wet folds.

"What is it you need, milady?" he coaxed as his fingers continued to tease her entrance.

"I need you to call me Belle, and I need you inside of me NOW!" she growled possessively, pulling him closer. His erection brushed against her folds, and she jerked forward at the euphoric sensations erupting through her. He seized her wrists and pressed them down beside her.

"Let's take our time, shall we?" he suggested as he peppered her collarbone with kisses.

"I want you now Rumplestilskin and that's an order! It's been way too long since I've allowed myself these comforts," she hissed, and he chuckled at her impatience. He settled himself against the cradle of her hips. She wrapped her legs securely around his waist. He sheathed himself securely inside of her warmth, and they moved together languidly.

"I don't believe I'll ever forget this night, Belle," he rumbled in her ear as they moved together simultaneously. She could feel the passion he felt for her spilling over with each gentle touch and loving kiss he imparted. They'd only become acquainted this night, but it felt like so much longer as he rocked gently against her hips.

"You feel like the finest of silks," he gasped before spilling his seed inside of her. He rolled over, breathless from their first bout of lovemaking. Their heartbeats resounded harmoniously as they basked in the afterglow of their pleasure.

Belle respired, her heart hammering in her chest as she felt his seed trickle between her thighs. She turned to him, and he averted his gaze sheepishly.

"Don't you dare decide to be bashful now after you've gazed upon every intimate part I have," she chuckled, leaning over to kiss him breathlessly.

"I hope it wasn't too disappointing. It's been a long time since I've-" he blushed deeply, unable to finish his statement. Belle felt a wave of vexation course through her from how worthless his former wife must have made him feel.

"Hey, you were an outstanding lover," she reassured him, tangling her bare legs around his, and bidding him closer. He sighed, relishing the sensations of her warm body pressed against his.

"Thank you for your kindness and for bestowing upon me such a wonderful gift," he responded gratefully, stifling back a yawn. He buried his face within the crook of her neck as she pet his hair soothingly. Soft snuffles erupted from his throat as she held him close. She attempted to keep her eyes open but eventually she felt herself drifting off too. Exhaustion overtook her, stealing her away to dreamland.

~X~

The following morning, Belle awoke to find herself alone in bed. Bright sunlight filtered through the window, and she shielded her eyes from the assault of light against her tired eyes. She gazed at the floor, noticing there wasn't a trace of him left. The only evidence of their night of passion was the distinct pulsating between her thighs. She groaned, throwing her legs over the bed to ready herself for the day. Her shift would start in another hour, but all she yearned to do was go and find him. She didn't care what the townsfolk thought of him. Her reputation be damned. She was about to march out the door after him until a glimmer of sunlight bounced off of the plain silver band resting upon her left ring finger. Guilt churned in her gut at the revelation of her blunder. Her husband may have been off at war, and perhaps she didn't love him anymore, but she'd just committed adultery against him. If a woman was ever convicted of adultery then she was to be exiled, but only if her husband was merciful. She'd witnessed the hangings of women in their village by the merciless clerics for such crimes.

Staying in the village would be a mistake for herself and Rumpelstiltskin. The poor man didn't have anyone to lean upon but his son, and she may have selfishly put what was left of his crumbling reputation at stake. The townsfolk nor Gaston would have a problem with exterminating him if ever given the opportunity. The only thing she could do to save them both was to leave and never look back. A tear trickled down her cheek as she lifted up the mattress to retrieve the bag of coins she'd been saving for years. It would be just enough to give her a fresh start in a place where no one knew her name. She packed up her few belongings and pulled her meadow hued cloak tightly around her shoulders. She journeyed to the stables where she found Gaston's steed Philippe tied up. There was a chance her husband may never return, so she didn't feel guilty about taking him. Belle rode for the North which was left untouched by the ogres and settled in a quaint village full of healers. She told the healers her husband was killed in the ogre wars and that she wanted a fresh start. A group of women took her under their wing to train her in the profession and things were going smoothly until she discovered she was with child. She played it off to the healers as being her dead husband's offspring, and none of them suspected otherwise. She felt guilty for keeping such vital information from Rumpelstiltskin but telling him would have only brought him more despair. She had no idea if Gaston was truly dead or not and questions would arise if she rode back into their village in her current state. She convinced herself it was better this way, and she gave birth to a healthy daughter nine months later. That passionate night she spent with the spinner faded into the recesses of her mind. She didn't give it much thought until she heard years later that the tides of the ogre wars had turned. An entity known as the Dark One had stopped the fighting with his dark magic. Belle knew very little of the ominous creature and didn't care to become educated on the matter. She just had no idea how closely linked to her former lover he was.

A/AN: In the next installment, we'll get to see Rumpelstiltskin's feelings on leaving Belle at the inn that morning and on becoming the Dark One. The next chapter holds many surprises as well! Please review!


	2. Chapter 2

A Glimpse of Fading Light: Part Two

A/AN: A big thank you to everyone who gave kudos and commented on this fic! This chapter will be all about Rumpelstiltskin's feelings the morning after and much more.

Rumpelstiltskin gazed ardently down at the woman settled next to him. Gods she was beautiful, he thought. He longed to linger a few more moments in bed and greet her with a good morning kiss, but he knew it wouldn't be wise. He pictured her face contorting with disgust once she realized her fallacy. He couldn't bear to face her rejection, and he knew it was exactly what he would receive. No woman in her right mind would want this with him, especially not one as beautiful as this barmaid. Her beauty was unrivaled, and he thought she belonged in a castle instead of a tavern. She was also married and her husband would return home one day, and the night between them would be forgotten. He would never forget the beauty or what they shared together for as long as he lived, but she undoubtedly would. He sighed regretfully as he placed an affectionate kiss against her crown of hair. She stirred in her sleep, but thankfully, she didn't awaken. It was still dark outside which meant he should be able to make it home undetected. He grabbed his ragged tunic and pulled it over his head, followed by his trousers. He picked up his walking stick and quietly let himself out of the room but not before looking back to gaze upon her longingly.

"Goodbye, Belle," he whispered wistfully as he closed the door behind him. He soundlessly descended the stairs and let himself out of the back tavern door. He stifled back the tears as he made his way to the edge of the village where his hovel dwelt. For a moment he let himself imagine waking up next to her every morning. She would beam brilliantly at him, tuck an errant lock of hair behind his ear and give him the sweetest good morning kiss he'd ever received. She wouldn't be cold and callous like Milah. She would be warm and inviting and beg him to touch her, just as she had the night before.

He was pulled from his musings when he felt a sharp rock pelt the side of his head. He winced in pain as the assault continued. He shielded his eyes from the attack and bravely opened them to find two teenage boys laughing and jeering at him.

"Run on home, Spindleshanks, since that's what you're good at!" one of the youth guffawed, pointing a grimy finger at him. Rumpelstiltskin darted behind one of the other hovels as he observed the opposite bot pick up a large stone which would knock him unconscious. He ran as fast as he could, his bad leg throbbing with each step. When he made it home, he was winded and wanted to do nothing more than collapse in a heap by the hearth. It was too early to retrieve Bae, and he needed to tend to his wounds. As he made his way into the hovel, he stopped by a dingy looking glass to see a large bloody scratch marring his forehead. His left cheek was also scraped but it wasn't anything a little soap and water wouldn't fix. He mundanely undressed himself and cleaned himself up before Baelfire came home with more questions than he dared to answer. It was going to be hard enough to dispel the truth about his mother.

Rumpelstiltskin did his best to tidy up his appearance before his son came home. There was a steady knock at the door the moment he'd donned a fresh tunic and breeches. He sauntered to the door, his heart heavy in his chest as unbolted it. There stood his son, by Morraine's mother, his matted curls piled atop his head in a nest of tangles.

"Thank you for keeping him overnight and for bringing him home," he replied somberly, keeping his eyes downcast.

"No problem. He was as good as gold," she returned with a solemn nod before letting herself out. Morraine was Bae's friend who lived up the road from them. She was a blonde haired little girl who enjoyed playing with his son. Her parents tolerated him and were part of the only few left in the village who acknowledged him. Even if they didn't approve of him, they accepted his son and that was the only thing which mattered to him. He didn't want his transgressions to weigh upon his son's back. Bae didn't deserve to live in the shadow of his dejection. He vowed to himself that one day he would have a good life, even if it meant he never got to be a part of it.

"Papa, where's momma?" Bae probed as he gazed around the hovel. Rumpelstiltskin dismounted onto his good knee, maintaining eye level with his son. He placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and gazed intently into his sable depths.

"There's no easy way for to tell you this, Bae," he sighed, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Your mamma is gone, Son. These horrid pirates stole her away from us and killed her," he continued, forcing out the rest of his statement. Baelfire's eyes grew wide as he tried to push the older man away.

"NO! NO! YOU'RE LYING!" the little boy accused him, attempting to wriggle out of his grasp. He held him securely in his arms as sobs wracked his tiny body. The boy unrelentingly fell into his father's embrace, crying himself empty. Rumpelstiltskin placed his son on the cot when exhaustion overtook him.

"I promise to take care of you, Bae. I'll make sure you have a good life despite all of this," he vowed placing a tender kiss against his brow.

Parents often make promises which they can't keep, and four days shy of Baelfire's fourteenth birthday, Hordor and his men came to take Morraine away. The duke had begun forcing children to fight in the war since all of his fighting men were dwindling quickly. Rumpelstiltskin couldn't lose his son and blindly followed the advice of a beggar they'd met on the road. The beggar had told him about a fabled dagger the duke hid in his castle, which he used to control the Dark One. The beggar had told him if he procured the talisman, that he could save his son. Rumpelstiltskin burned down the duke's castle and retrieved the dagger. After he summoned the Dark One, he foolishly stabbed him in a fit of rage and ignorantly inherited his powers. Rumpelstiltskin used his newly acquired powers to end the Ogre Wars and save the children. He also used them to vanquish his enemies and gain a new sense of respect and fear amongst the villagers. For the first time in his life, he wasn't afraid of anything. He remembered the barmaid he'd shared a passionate affair with years prior and suddenly had the urge to see her again. Perhaps, she would be intrigued by his power and indulge him in another night of pleasure.

He hadn't visited the tavern since that night, but his newly acquired bravado made him see and feel things differently. The crowds silently observed him enter the tavern in pure horror. Not one of them made a peep as he stalked up to an unsuspecting barmaid.

"Excuse me Miss, but where is Belle?" he inquired, gazing at her with his murderous amber orbs.

"Belle hasn't worked here in nearly eight years, My Lord. She fled early one morning, and no one has seen her since. She took her husband's horse with her and ran away," she retorted in a quaky voice.

"I see..." the Dark One muttered, letting himself out of the establishment. A spray of mortar and dust spewed from the ceiling as he slammed the door behind him. He had been right about her. She'd been ashamed of him and that was the reason she'd left. He snarled his teeth in disgust as he headed back home, hoping he never saw her again. Another year passed, and Baelfire noticed his father becoming more and more consumed by the darkness. Morraine told him about a legendary fairy who could help him break his father's curse. After seeking out the fairy known as, Rheul Ghorm, she gifted him with a magic bean, which would take them to a land without magic. Baelfire attempted to convince his father to journey with him to another realm, without the interference of magic. In the heat of the moment, Rumpelstiltskin had released Baelfire's hand into the swirling, green vortex of light. He regretted his decision immensely and swore to do whatever it took to get him back. Thus began his ceaseless endeavor to find his son.

Rumpelstiltskin searched far and wide for a way to bring him back, and his travels took him through many villages and kingdoms. He stopped at an underpopulated tavern in a Northern village one night for a cup of mead. He kept his cloak secured tightly around his face where no one would be disturbed by his presence. He derived joy from intimidating others, but tonight he wasn't in the mood for anyone's scrutinizing gaze. He simply wished to be left alone. He barely registered the familiar voice of the barmaid who stopped by to take his order.

"Would you like a pint of ale, sir?" she inquired, and his ear piqued at her hauntingly, familiar voice. His amber orbs locked with her azure irises, and he felt his heart lurch in his chest when he realized it was Belle. Anger and betrayal churned in his gut as well as elation and some twisted form of joy at the sight of her.

"Well, well, if it isn't the woman I spent rutting with nearly a decade ago. Did you drop by to say hello, dearie?" he greeted her through snarled fangs.

"Rumpelstiltskin?" she queried, her face paling at the tone of his voice. She flinched when he stood, allowing his hood to fall around his shoulders.

"Yes, but I'm also the Dark One now," he smirked, allowing his eyes to roam over her luscious curves. She was still just as beautiful as the morning he'd left her at the inn. People were beginning to stare at them uncomfortably, and Belle felt it was in their best interests to converse somewhere more privately.

"Please, allow me to explain everything to you, but not here," she cautioned. Pain stung his heart, and he wondered if she was still ashamed to be seen with him.

"Where would you like to go then?" he seethed, taking a step closer to her. She wasn't sure if she should be alone with him, but she was never one to behave rationally about things.

"To the forest...No one will bother us there," she answered, leading him out the backdoor of the tavern. Rumpelstiltskin was a kind and gentle soul, but she was certain his dark counterpart wasn't. She would have to tread carefully around him.

"Well...Get on with it!" he snapped, once they were alone in a thick grove of trees. Pale moonlight cast its ethereal glow upon them, and Belle felt paralyzed with fear as she stood a comfortable distance away from him.

She respired deeply before relaying her tale to him. "The morning after our coupling, I planned to come find you until I realized the severity of our crimes. I was still a married woman, and I couldn't bear to see you suffer for my defiance. You had your son to think about, and I didn't want to be selfish. I thought it was better if I just left and never spoke to you again. It broke my heart to do so, but I didn't wish to endanger your life or your son's. It was the hardest decision I ever made because I did and do still feel something for you, Rumpelstiltskin," she confessed as she bit her lip worriedly.

"So you weren't ashamed of me?" he asked, his tone becoming more reminiscent of the spinner's.

"No! If I could have found a way for us to be together then I would have!" she exclaimed, flailing her arms in the air for good measure.

"What about now? I bet you can't stand the sight of me to ever want to spend a night like that with me ever again," he scoffed, averting his gaze away from her shamefully.

"Your appearance didn't deter me then and it doesn't now. I mean, this form is certainly much more interesting to behold. I have to ask you though, why did you ever become the, Dark One?" she probed, closing the distance between them. She stood a mere foot in front of him as he relayed to her the tale of his decent into darkness.

"They threatened to take Baelfire away from me. They were going to make him fight in the war. The duke had lowered the age and had started enlisting children to help aid him in his pathetic affair. My son was all I had left, and I couldn't bear to lose him. An old beggar told me of a legendary dagger the duke used to control the Dark One. He told me if I possessed the dagger that I too could control the Dark One and spare my son from having to fight. I was foolish and didn't realize the amount of power I was dealing with. The beggar turned out to be the Dark One and tricked me into killing him. I unwillingly inherited the powers of the dark curse, and the first thing I did was use them to stop the war. If the duke had possession of such a powerful entity, then I couldn't figure out why he didn't end the wars himself. It never settled well with me until I became the Dark One and realized he did it to keep his subjects submissive. I didn't bat an eye when I slit his throat," he giggled impishly, causing Belle to stammer in surprise.

"And what of Baelfire? Where is he?" she inquired with her arms crossed loosely under her chest.

"He was the cost of my curse. I lost him, but I'll get him back," he declared as raw power crackled from his fingertips. Belle grabbed his talon to halt him. She wasn't sure what he meant by the loss of his son, but she realized she couldn't keep her secret from him any longer. She was playing a dangerous game, but he deserved to know the truth about his daughter.

"Rumple, I'm truly sorry about Baelfire. What I'm about to tell you may be a lot to take in but keeping it from you wouldn't be right. After I left the village, a group of healers took me in and taught me their trade. I'm one of the many healers in town, but I still work at the tavern a few nights a week for extra coin. I discovered shortly after that I was with child. Coming back to tell you about our daughter would have been impossible given the circumstances of our situation. I hope you can forgive me for not telling you, and I hope you understand my reasons. I did what I had to do to protect her, just as you became the Dark One to save your son," she illuminated, clasping his hand tightly in hers. She expected the fury of the Dark One to cast her away or turn her into ashes. She was astonished when he squeezed her hand back gently.

"What's her name?" he croaked, tears misting in his eyes from her declaration.

"Her name is Estella. Would you like to meet her?" she asked.

"Yes, I would like that very much," he supplied, feeling his breath hitch in his throat as he was overwhelmed by emotion. Being angry at Belle for keeping her secret was irrational, though the Dark One tried to convince him otherwise. He had a daughter, and he wasn't going to screw it up like he had with Bae. He swore to himself it would be different this time.

A/AN: The next chapter will most likely be the final installment. Please review!


	3. Chapter 3

A Glimpse of Fading Light: Part Three

A/AN: Well here's the final installment, I hope you all enjoy it! This chapter mentions abortion.

Rumpelstiltskin followed the barmaid through the woods to where her hovel dwelt, tucked neatly in an alcove away from society. "Is this where you live?" he inquired as he examined the small shack which was reminiscent to his own, back in their old village.

"Yes, I relish my privacy, but some people aren't so compassionate about matters which they can't understand. I live out here away from everyone else for a reason. It isn't just because I savor the isolation," she spat out bitterly, and he could tell there was underlying meaning to her words. She smoothed out her wrinkled apron absentmindedly; he observed her closely.

"What reason would you have to oust yourself from society?" he asked daringly. He was the Dark One and held immeasurable power at his fingertips. He wasn't sure why this barmaid made him feel so vulnerable. Perhaps it was because he'd just received the revelation he had a daughter and it left him on edge.

"The healers in our village don't agree with a few of my practices. I'm the healer the women go to when they have an issue which needs corrected. I don't particularly like dealing with it, and my methods are controversial, but occasionally a young woman will come to me to terminate her pregnancy. There are so many who cannot feed their families and another mouth to feed would only burden them. Some come to me because the pregnancy is illegitimate; clerics would burn them at the stake if they decided to keep it," she supplied, narrowing her gaze. He glanced at the woman whom life had hardened as much as it had him. He was no chancellor of morality, and his sins had darkened his heart just as Belle's had hers. The woman he'd left that morning in the inn had faded, or she'd been there all along, and he'd been too blinded by her beauty to recognize it. Her confession didn't flummox him as it might have long ago. He was different back then, and things weren't always black and white. Often times, they came in shades of gray.

"If you think I'm going to judge you for your iniquities, then you're wrong, dearie," he said softly, cradling her hand, calloused by years of hard work in his own.

She chuckled dryly, squeezing his hand lightly. "You must also realize you're not the only man I've laid with in the last decade. I've whored myself out quite a few times for extra coppers to provide for my daughter. She has many needs which my current occupation can't always provide for. The wars ruined everything for so many. I'm glad you slew the duke. That bastard didn't deserve to live after what he put us through," she snarled vehemently. She expected him to cast her aside after her next confession, but instead, he wrapped her securely in his embrace.

"I have a behemoth castle in the Northern Mountains. Come back there with me, Belle. I'll provide for you and our daughter, and you'll never have to darken your soul again with these deeds you loathe," he stated, tilting her chin up to meet his gaze.

"You still want me after everything I've done?" she questioned him, startled by his generous offer.

"Yes. There's nothing you've done that couldn't make me want you," he affirmed, sweeping his fingers across her jawline, making her shudder. It'd been so long since anyone had touched her so reverently, even if it was the Dark One who was eliciting these desires from her, just as the spinner had the night she'd spent wrapped in his arms.

"Are you ready to meet your daughter?" she inquired, gesturing towards the hovel.

"Yes," he affirmed, allowing her to take his hand and lead him inside. The room was dark except for a dimly lit lantern. A makeshift pallet laid on the floor, and he could see a patch of dark curls peeping out from underneath the blankets.

"Georgina stays with her whenever I have to work, but she must have already left," Belle sighed, giving the name of a woman he knew nothing about. She hoisted the small girl in her arms and draped her over her shoulder like a newborn babe. The child was small and bony for her age. Village children never were plump and having enough to eat had always been a luxury. His heart wrenched at what Belle must have had to do for them to survive.

"She'll be horrified when she gets a glimpse of me. I should glamor myself up and put on a more pleasant face," he retorted insecurely.

"No, there will be no need for that. Estella has been blind since she was four years old, after suffering from a high fever. You have nothing to worry about," Belle assured him, rocking the child gingerly in her arms.

"You didn't tell me she was blind," he snapped, his voice becoming intertwined with the imp.

"You didn't ask, and what difference does it make? She's still your daughter regardless of her disability. She's perfect in every way, and the most brilliant person I know!" she retaliated, holding the snoozing child a little closer, as if to shield her from him.

"I'm sorry for my outburst," he apologized, his tone lowering an octave. Before she could form a retort, Estella began to stir in her arms. She opened her eyes hazily, a breathtaking pair of cerulean irises reflecting back at him. The child stared right through him with her glassy orbs.

"Mamma, you're home," the young girl remarked sleepily, patting her mother's shoulder affectionately. She snuggled into the crook of Belle's neck.

"Yes, I'm home my darling. Did you behave well for Georgina?" she inquired, placing the child back on the pallet. She tucked the blankets around her lithe frame. Estella grabbed the thin homespun quilts, pulling them securely around her shoulders.

"Yes, I was good. I'm always good, mamma," she supplied drowsily, turning over on the pallet. Belle kissed her crown of hair affectionately as she fell back asleep.

"I'm sorry, but I believe we'll have to put off our meeting until in the morning. You didn't have any prior engagements, did you?" she queried, directing her gaze towards him. He dusted his index finger across a bare table, coating it with a thin film of dust. He shook his head lightly.

"No, I'll stay here all night if you wish it. You know I could instantly cure her blindness, Belle. You only have to say the words, and I'll fix everything," he told her, sauntering closer – cradling her face in his palms.

"As tempting as your offer is, Rumple, I can't subject my daughter falling victim to the price of your dark magic. You said yourself it was the reason you lost your son. What if something terrible happened to Estella because of it?" she quizzed, and he felt his heart clench painfully from her declaration.

"I would never force you to use my magic, Belle. I'm giving you that option if you ever decide to do so. My power is at your disposal as am I," he returned, leaning in to brush his lips against hers. She kissed him back fervently, and that night spent at the tavern flashed in his mind.

"I want it to be Estella's choice. I would never force anything upon her that she didn't want," she returned, breaking the kiss, which left her longing for more.

"Come back to the Dark Castle with me and become my wife. I wish for you not only to share my bed but my life as well. I want to bind myself to you properly and give you and Estella the life you both deserve," he proposed between kisses as he tangled his talons through her thick chestnut tresses.

Belle broke the kiss momentarily to stare quizzically into his amber orbs. "What about my late husband Gaston? Is he still alive?" she queried.

"He never came home. I don't know exactly what happened to him, but I assume he died like the rest of the soldiers," he reported, and Belle reached up to brush tufts of curl from his eyes.

"My answer is yes, of course. I just didn't want there to be any chance he'd meddle in our affairs. The more I reflected on our brief time together, I realized that I never truly loved him. There hasn't been a day that's gone by that I haven't thought of you," she returned, leaning in to brush another kiss against his lips.

"My appearance isn't revolting to you, is it?" he asked, his insecurities reeling their ugly head. He reached out to seize her by the wrists, brushing his thumbs over the underside of them. He gazed at his gold gray skin contrasted with her pristine peach hue.

"Why would your appearance revolt me? I find it to be very intriguing. I've never been interested in the mundane or what our society considers appealing," she remarked, rubbing soothing circles over his glittering skin.

"Would you like somewhere to sleep tonight? I have another pallet if you wish to stay," she stated invitingly.

"What about if you come stay with me? All I have to do is snap my fingers, and we'll both be back at my castle before you can blink," he remarked with an impish giggle.

"You mean you could just magic us both away from this hellish place, forever?" she asked him as she crossed her arms loosely under her small breasts.

"That's right, dearie," he answered with a mysterious gleam in his eyes.

"Then do it. Take as far from this place as possible," she commanded. With a snap of his fingers, Belle felt everything fade to black. She fought the overwhelming weight of drowsiness which encompassed her, but it was too strong. She fell into a deep, dreamless state

.

When she awoke from her slumber, she found herself lying on the softest mattress she'd ever laid upon. It was made of goose feather, and there were piles of blankets and furs draped over her. She sat straight up in bed as she instinctively reached for Estella. When she realized the little girl wasn't beside her, she began to panic. What if Rumpelstiltskin had lied to her and sent her somewhere else because she refused to allow him to cure Estella's blindness? Belle tore the bed covers off of her body, and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. The stone floor beneath her bare feet was frigid, but she paid no mind to the temperature as she tore out of her chamber.

"Rumpelstiltskin!" she called down the labyrinth of corridors, only to hear her own voice echoing back at her. Her heart plummeted in her chest as she raced down one of the nearby staircases. She rubbed her chilled arms, attempting to circulate some warmth. She gazed down at her attire, realizing her old homespun rags had been replaced by a fine golden silk nightgown. She padded down another hallway, pealing her ears when she heard childish laughter. She followed the sound of laughter until she came to a lavish library filled with more books than she'd seen in her entire life. She traipsed inside the library to find the imp with their daughter in his lap. He was reading to her from a large tome with the words "Once Upon a Time", scrawled across the front cover. Belle watched his fatherly display in awe. He didn't stop reading until he spotted her leaning against a behemoth bookcase.

"Sweetheart, why don't you hold the book, and I'll be right back," he assured the little girl as he sat her down gently on the settee. Belle was filled with relief when she realized he hadn't cured her eyesight.

"What's all of this about?" the beauty inquired, arching her brow at him quizzically.

"The magic I used to bring you both here can drain a person of their energy. You were both very tired, and she happened to wake up before you. She was crying for you, but I thought allowing you to sleep was better than waking you. I explained to her you would wake up shortly and soothed her with a cup of tea and a story. I'm sorry if I overstepped my bounds," he apologized, averting his gaze sheepishly.

"I'm not angry with you, Rumpelstiltskin. Did you dispel the truth about yourself to her, yet?" she inquired, twining their fingers together.

"No, I thought you should be present for that," he told her, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Let's tell her together then," Belle said as she took him by the hand before he could object, leading them back over to the settee.

"Estella?" Belle called out warily to her daughter. The chestnut haired girl's ears perked up when she heard her mother's familiar tone.

"Mamma?" she queried, scooting off of the settee, making her way to the place where she stood. Belle scooped up the child into her arms before turning back to Rumpelstiltskin. She gazed ardently at him as she spoke to their daughter.

"Estella, do you remember me telling you about your father all of those years ago?" she asked the child who blinked owlishly in response.

"Yes, you said he was a spinner," she clarified, wrinkling her nose in concentration.

"Yes, well he is a spinner, but he also has magic. The man who read you the story this morning is your father. He's been searching for us a very long time, and he brought us back to his castle to live with him," she revealed, causing Estella's eyes to grow as big as saucers.

"He has a castle and magic!?" she inquired exuberantly, bouncing excitedly in Belle's arms.

"Yes, but he's only allowed to use it for emergencies only," she informed the child, narrowing her gaze at Rumpelstiltskin in warning. He nodded warily at her.

"Would you like to spend some more time with him?" Belle encouraged the girl with a brilliant smile blooming to her lips.

"Yes! I want him to read to me some more! He has a very funny laugh and a soothing brogue. Can I stay with him for awhile longer?" the child pleaded, causing Rumpelstiltskin's heart to burst with joy at the fact this tiny human had accepted him so quickly.

"Of course," Belle consented, handing Estella back to the imp.

"Hello, Estella. I'm your papa," he introduced himself, attempting to conceal the onslaught of emotion misting behind his eyes.

"Hello, papa!" Estella giggled, throwing her arms around his neck and planting a wet kiss against his cheek. He gave Belle a watery smile as he carried her back over to the settee. Belle watched the two fondly. He continued to read to her and play a few games she enjoyed. Estella tired out quickly, leaving the two adults to converse privately. Night had fallen, and Belle settled down in front of the hearth with a piping cuppa hot tea. Rumpelstiltskin joined her in the adjacent leather armchair.

"What's on your mind?" she inquired, noting the heaviness in his gaze.

"I was just thinking about, Bae. Our family is practically complete, but I still need to find him. I have to find a way to get back to him," he sighed, rubbing his temples agitatedly.

Belle reached out and touched his hand consolingly. "You'll find your son, Rumple. The difference is that you have another mind to help you conjure up a solution, now, instead of only one," she beamed, blinding him with her smile.

"So, you'll help me?" he asked, surprised by her offer. No one had ever been as kind to him as she had. First, she'd offered him solace with the comfort of her body, and they'd created a beautiful life together. She'd willingly accepted him as the Dark One and wanted to spend her life with him. The woman sitting in front of him was an enigma, he longed to unravel.

"Why wouldn't I? We're going to be a family, Rumple. Our family isn't complete without Baelfire," she remarked, reaching out to caress his hand. The moment she touched him under the glowing light of the hearth, he knew she would never leave him. Something about the softness of her fingertips reassured him that she was his forever.


End file.
